Job 19-21

Job is one of the most remarkable people in scripture for many reasons, but here’s one. Few people in history go through what he went through in terms of suffering while on the earth and even fewer have the type of attitude that Job had.

Job 19:23-24 says,

23"Oh that my words were written!
Oh that they were inscribed in a book!
24Oh that with an iron pen and lead
they were engraved in the rock forever!

It struck me as I read this that Job never thought his words would be recorded or mean anything to anyone. Little did he know at the time, his words would encourage people and help people for all history deal with their suffering. We never know the impact of not only our actions, but also our words. Its so important for us to respond like Job, our words will obviously not end up in the Bible, but I think its always a good reminder that our words and responses live beyond our lives.

Job doesn’t doubt God’s nature. He confesses the truth about who God is in the midst of extreme tragedy. I love the refrain of, “My Redeemer lives.” He knows that God is the Great Redeemer, the one who takes tragedy and not only fixes it in the midst of utter hopelessness and despair, but restores to us what we have lost.

Next time we are faced with tragedy in our lives, or maybe its not even tragedy but something that just doesn’t go our way, let’s confess and remember what reality is. Let’s remember as Job did that God is unchanging, that God can change everything in an instant and that no matter what we have lost, God is our Redeemer. He can restore absolutely anything.